Bills aimed at preventing sinkholes pass out of committee

Nearly nine
months after a massive sinkhole was discovered in southeast Louisiana,
lawmakers are taking steps to make sure a similar scenario doesn't happen again.

Two bills
introduced by state Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Plaquemine, would address the
operation of mines and caverns within a salt dome. One would require companies
to update information, like the location of caverns within the salt dome, while
the other would regulate the mines and wells in caverns in the salt dome.

St. Germain
said those two measures need to be in place to prevent another Bayou Corne-type
incident from happening.

"We're
definitely behind the eight ball, but we're definitely going to get that eight
ball in the hole," she said. "It needs to be done now and for the
future of Louisiana. All the bills that we're doing are a direct effect from
this sinkhole."

The bills
passed through the House committee on natural resources without opposition and
were introduced to the House floor Thursday.

The Assumption Parish Police Jury reported the area west of Grand Bayou along LA 70 is no longer under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders because of the sinkhole, with the exception of a residential area near Bayou Corne.

The Assumption Parish Police Jury reported the area west of Grand Bayou along LA 70 is no longer under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders because of the sinkhole, with the exception of a residential area near Bayou Corne.